Maybe
by Jem Tiers
Summary: The party has to leave Dali in a hurry, and an accident happens. (Almost canon, with a little extra twist.)


Zidane hated to admit it, but this town had started to give him the creeps. He tried as much as he could to stay upbeat and unafraid, but he was afraid his positive veneer would start to crack if they stayed much longer.

Dali has been such a nice, quiet farming town the last time he had visited. Seeing the dolls with the pointed hats being made – or was it hatched? – had shattered that memory.

What was even more unnerving was the winged black mage – Black Waltz Number 2, he had identified himself – coming after them, claiming to want to take the Princess back to the castle.

Zidane cast a sidelong glance at Vivi, sitting on the bed in the opposite corner of the inn. The little guy was looking down, but Zidane knew that his glowing eyes were different from the others they had been seeing. His were full of light and kindness and innocence, something the others all lacked. The tailed boy shrugged to himself. There was only so much he could do for Vivi; the rest, he'd have to give out on his own. He looked away after a moment, hoping the black mage hadn't noticed.

His eyes skipped over Rusty to the Princess. She was so curious, and braver than he had given her credit for in the beginning. During the Black Waltz battle, he had seen a kind of determination in her eyes he never would have expected from a princess – a girl groomed to be prim and proper, not fierce.

And, of course, it didn't hurt that she was gorgeous. For a split second he smiled, thinking of where things could go with the two of them if she let them. Just as quickly the smile dropped away, replaced by the feeling of unease that had been plaguing him since their trip through the underground. When they left Dali, there would be ample time for fantasizing, he told himself. For now, more serious things were afoot.

Plus, Steiner had stepped into his line of sight, reminding him that he would never let anything happen between the two of them – the "monkey boy" and the Princess Garnet.

"We should move on out," Zidane said, standing up. "That airship won't wait forever."

"Right, right! We have to catch that airship!" Rusty said quickly, springing into action. "Let's go!" He was halfway out the door, almost dragging the Princess along behind him, before Vivi stood quietly and followed. Zidane brought up the rear, already starting to feel relieved that they were leaving.

The party made their way quickly to the field. The last barrel had evidently been loaded already, because there was no visible activity in the field.

"Allow me to see that we are welcome to board," Steiner volunteered hastily, jumping clumsily on the ladder.

Zidane ran a hand through his hair as the rusty knight boarded the ship. "Sure seems to be in a hurry, doesn't he?" he asked with a laugh.

"He was quick to change his mind when I talked to him earlier, about what I wanted," Garnet said with a smile. "I'm sure he just wanted to get us to Lindblum safely."

"I'm sure that's-" Zidane began, knowing that wasn't it at all, but he was interrupted almost as soon as he started. The airship rocked back and forth as the engine roared to life.

"Steiner isn't back yet!" Garnet said, her voice edged with worry.

"We have to just get on. Vivi, you first," Zidane said, watching the ship closely. Steiner wouldn't have wanted to take off without them – without _him_ , maybe, but not without the Princess. Something was wrong. But this airship was the only way for them to leave Dali and progress with their journey...

The black mage ran to the ladder without arguing and hopped aboard, starting the climb to the top. "Now you, Pri—Dagger," Zidane said, stumbling as his eyes found hers. She nodded, then jogged the few steps to the ladder and mounted it herself.

The ship was rising more quickly now; when she was a few rungs up, she called back to him, "Zidane, hurry! You'll have to jump!"

 _Anything you say, Princess_ , he thought as he took a running start and jumped, grasping the second-to-last rung and pulling himself up the rest of the way. "Made it," he announced as he did so. Looking up, Zidane couldn't see to tell if she was relieved, but he hoped she was. From this angle, she looked just as gorgeous as she did as eye level – some parts of her certainly more so. What better time than when his life was almost hanging in the balance, to appreciate some of the finer things?

Quickly he grasped at the rungs of the ladder to try to get closer to safety, to the top of the ladder (or perhaps just as much to get to Garnet, though if he put it that way...) He was climbing more quickly than she was, and it wasn't long before his hand grasped something other than the ladder.

Instead of letting go right away, as he should have, he held his hand there for a few moments – after all, his life was still hanging in the balance, and all that. "Soft..." he mumbled to himself, and felt a stupid grin spreading over his face.

"Zidane!" she said, shocked, and made to continue climbing the last few rungs to the platform.

"Sorry, Princess!" he apologized immediately as his hand jerked away and found a rung. "It was an accident!"

"I know..." she said softly. She had reached the platform, climbed up, and turned around, looking down at him. It was amazing to Zidane that she didn't look more scared of heights. Dagger knelt down and offered him her hand. It looked like Vivi had already gone inside the airship, so only the two of them remained.

Grateful to get off the ladder (and that Dagger didn't seem to hate him for what had happened), he took her hand.

"Maybe I liked it," she murmured as his ear passed her lips. Her breath sent a shiver up his spine. But when he looked back at her, she looked as proper as ever.

"Time to get inside?" he asked, hoping his voice was steady. The tension he felt in Dali was quickly melting away, being replaced by his usual optimism. There was so many unanswered questions, but...

He looked at Garnet, who had turned around and had her hand on the doorknob.

Maybe that was all it took.


End file.
